Safety-pin.



No. 740,121. PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

I J. H. GREEN.

SAFETY PIN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5. 1901.

N0 MODEL.

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nre. 740,121.

' UNITED STATES.

Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GREEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HERMAN A. MEYERCORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY-PIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,121, dated September 29, 1 903.

Application filed July 5, 1901. Serial No. 67,122. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. GREEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, Illinois, have invented a certain new and Improved Safety-Pin, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety-pins of that general character in which the point of the pin is inelosed and concealed by a suitable facture as well as by a high degree of strength and efficiency in use and ornamental appearance.

To this end my invention residesin a safetypin having the characteristics of structure and mode of operation all as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention and its mode of manufacture are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the sheet-metal blank from which my invention is formed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the blank at the next stage of manufacture, showing the prongs drawn to the desired shape. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the pin at the third stage of manufacture, showing the head of the blank constructed and shaped up to form an inolosing shield for the points of the prongs. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the completed pin, showing the prongs bent back and engaging the shield, with the pin in operative or looking position. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the pin as shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is aview similar to Fig. 4: of the front of the pin.

7 In carrying out myinventiou I cut or stamp *out from a sheet of suitable metal having the required'degree of resiliency or elasticitya single integral blank of the form shown in Fig. 1. This blank comprises a head portion A, a somewhat narrowed longitudinal body portion B, and a pair of prongs C, which latter constitute practically a forked extension or continuation of the body 13, their outer edges being preferably in line with the outer edges of the body, as shown, and their inner or proximate edges being preferably slightly divergent. The four sharp edges or corners of the prongs C are then drawn down and slightly rounded oif, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the prongs, however, still retaining a width considerably in excess of their thickness, which latter of course is throughout the principal length of the prongs the same as the thickness of the sheet-metal blank from which they are formed, and this relative excess of the width of the prong over its thickness is important in view of the fact that the strains to which the prongs are subjected in actual service are almost entirely lateral or in a direction parallel with the width of the prongs. The head and body portions are also preferably offset at their line of junction, as indicated at B. In the next operation,which is illustrated in Fig. 3, that portion of the blank constituting the head A is by any suitable tool or machine bent up and stamped over to form a hood, which is designated as a whole by A in Fig. 3, this hood pref- .erably having inwardly-extending wings a at its base or inner end to enhance the character of the same as a shield or guard for the point of the prong. In the next operation the prongs O are bent at their bases over the body portion B with their points directly overlying the wings a of the hood A. Owing to the natural elasticity of the metal from which the pin is made the prongs may be readilybent together and pressed downwardly upon the body to cause the points to slip readily under the side wings of the hood to occupy the position shown in Figs. 4: and 5. By the simple converse of this latter operation the prongs may be readily'released-from the hood and the pin removed from its fastening or looking engagement with the garment or other article to which it is applied.

The operation or mode of using the device has already been fully set forth in the description of its structure and mode of .manufacture, and hence need not be here repeated. It will be obvious that in use either one or both of the prongs may pass through the overlapping folds which are to be united by the device, and when thus fastened, owing to g the exceptional lateral rigidity and strength of the prongs, aifords a fastening of great tenacity and effectiveness.

' By an inspection of Fig. 6 it will be seen that the pin is so shaped and constructed that when in use the principal operative parts of the pin (the prongs and wings of the hood) are entirely out of view, thus concealing the real nature and character of the article. This effect may be enhanced, if desired, by making the pin of gold or silver or plating it with such metals, the exposed surface of the hood and body beingalso capable of being engraved or otherwise ornamented, thus combining in one article an attractive piece of jewelry and an article of practical utility.

It will also be obvious that owing to the extreme simplicity of the mode of manufacture of the device and the fact that it can be made from a single integral sheet-metal blank it possesses a marked economy in respect to its cost of manufacture.

I claim as my invention 1. As an article of manufacture, a safetypin formed from a single integral sheetmetal blank, said latter comprising an enlarged head portion with an upwardly and inwardly projecting edge forming a hood or shield, a flat extended intermediate solid body portion, and a pair of prongs constituting longitudinal extensions of the side portions of the body, said prongs being bent over to lie beneath and substan tially parallel with the body portion, and the latter being of a length to overlie and substantially conceal the prongs, substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, a safetypin, the same comprising a single integral elastic sheet-metal blank, having an enlarged head portion with an upwardly and inwardly projecting edge forming the hood or shield of the pin, a flat extended intermediate solid body portion which is offset at its line of junction with the head, and a pair of tapering prongs constituting integral extensions of the sides of the body portion, and having their edges suitably rounded, said prongs being bent over at their bases to underlie the edges of the body portion, and having their points adapted to be sprung into and out of the offset hood or shield, said solid body portion being of a length to completely conceal the pron gs,snbstantially as described.

JOHN H. GREEN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, SAMUEL I-I. POND. 

